


The Edge

by SpookOrSpectre



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Angst, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:41:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24032938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpookOrSpectre/pseuds/SpookOrSpectre
Summary: This is a story about a skunk who comes very close to the edge and is saved. Has illustrations by me (I'm new at drawing so be nice XD)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 13





	1. Bleeding

**Author's Note:**

> This part of the story came to me when I was having a really tough time and I just had to write something short and angsty to express myself. The art I drew came later, about 2 and a half weeks, since I wasn't able to draw at all at the time but now I've had a bit of practice. Trigger warning: this is about suicide and depression. I was partly inspired by two songs, "Blinded by Fear" and "Heartwork" by At the Gates and Carcass, respectively.
> 
> Let me know what you think.

"Hey, please, don't do this," Nick begged. The rain fell on his fur, the wind freezing his bones. He wanted to say so much to the mammal in front of him. The skunk just sobbed.

"I know," he struggled.

"If you get down from there, everything is gonna be ok, please, do it for me."

"I… I can't," he said. The night was black, barely lit by the lights of the city that were mostly below them. The sheets of rain twisted in the wind. Their surroundings were the perfect analogy to his thoughts.

"Yes you can," Nick said. He was so close but so distant. He wondered if there would ever be a way to get through to the mammal.

"I can't… I can't…" the skunk said. He wanted to tell the officer that he was useless, that this would be easier, that his suffering would never end.

"Please, for me, come here," Nick said. He shivered in the cold.

"I don't want to! I just want to die alone!" The skunk bled.

"Well, you aren't dying alone! I'm here, I'm here for you just step down, please," Nick cried. He saw the skunk start to bob, move slightly forward and back, and he rushed to him. He grabbed the skunk and bear-hugged him, dragging him back to the concrete rooftop.

"NO!" The skunk shouted, elbowing and kicking.

"Please! Please!" Nick begged, choking up as he struggled.

"NO!" The skunk yelled in a drawn-out scream. It was the epitome of all that he feared; facing more of the dark reality he wished only to escape. He thrashed and wriggled but Nick wasn't letting him go anywhere. Eventually, he stopped moving and sobbed again.

"It's ok," Nick said. The skunk just cried, his massive, wet tail covering Nick's body. He turned around in Nick's arms to hug him, the first hug he had given in months. Nick gladly returned it, waiting as the skunk cried on him in the rain. "It'll be ok," Nick said, petting his head and patting his back.

…

He sat in the ambulance, wrapped in a blanket, watching as the world around him rushed by. The police officers, the paramedics, the firemen, all there for him, but they shouldn't be. He looked at the street and the sidewalk and imagined himself laying there. He wouldn't feel the dark, horrible emptiness anymore.

"What are you thinking right now?" A paramedic asked him. He looked at the pig and shivered, not answering. "Hey, it's ok, you can talk to me."

"I just… I'm thinking of my body on the pavement, right over there," he said, nodding to the street.

"Ok… can you take some deep breaths for me?" She asked. He did so and another tear rolled down his cheek. Just then, two officers walked over, a fox and a rabbit. It was the fox who had saved him, the rabbit had a paw on his back.

"Hey… how's it goin?" Nick asked, not sure what else to say. The skunk looked at him and looked away. There was a silence between them. "You know… I- I'm glad you're sitting there right now… I'm glad you're alive."

"Thanks," the skunk said blankly.

"Things will be ok, alright? You'll be ok."

"Ok."

"They will," Nick said. The skunk nodded.

"We're gonna have to take him to the hospital now," the pig paramedic said. Nick gave a small 'ok' and waved to the skunk, who politely waved back.

"I'm so scared for him Judy," Nick said as the ambulance drove away.

"I know… he'll be ok though, Nick."


	2. Starlight

The stars were out, the bright little dots in the sky. He didn't get to see them often, living in the city, but he wasn't in the city anymore. He was in a hospital in Deerbrooke, a residential treatment facility for depression. The skunk had turned off the lights in his room, left the door open, and sat on his bed to look at the stars. It was one of the first things he had done in weeks that started off with a desire to do something and resulted in enjoyment, or something of the sort.

The stars, such a symbol of aspiration, of dreams and wonder. _Reach for the stars_ was a phrase he'd heard almost too many times. Now he could see why, and it was breathtaking.

There were just so many.

"You feeling ok?" A nurse asked from his doorway. He turned his head to look at her, slightly surprised.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine," he said. The fox walked into his room and sat on the bed next to him.

"You sure?" She said, putting a paw on his shoulder. "Just sitting alone in your room like this with the lights off?" She asked.

"Yeah, I was just looking at the sky," he said. An 'oh' grew on her face, and she smiled, her tail wagging slightly

"You don’t get to see the stars much in the city, do you?"

"No," he replied.

"Why don’t we go outside? You can see them better and get some fresh air," she offered. Going out was not quite a rarity but it was something special and he was excited to see the stars even better. He stood with her to leave and they walked through the dark-carpeted beige hallway and down the stairs to an exit, the two walking off the concrete to the grass.

She watched his expression as he spun around and looked up, the skunk slowly smiling as he took in the stars. He turned to see her smiling at him and immediately went to hug her, sobbing lightly. She slowly wrapped her arms around him, not sure what was going on.

"It's ok, just breath," she said, hoping to calm him.

"No it's ok, I'm ok… Its kinda stupid I just… I realised I wouldn't be here looking at the stars if it weren't for two foxes," he said. She smiled.

"I just opened a door, that other guy is a hero!" The nurse laughed. He laughed with her.

"You've done more than open doors for me," he said, breaking the hug. She smiled.

"Well, what can I say, it's my job," she said. He smiled.

"You've got an amazing job."


	3. A Flower

Two weeks later he was back home in Zootopia, wondering what to do with his day off.  _ Why don't I see if I can thank that cop…  _ he thought. He picked up his phone and looked for information about the fox, who he knew was the only fox in the ZPD. He found Nick's profile on the website for precinct one and decided to call the headquarters. It was answered after a few rings.

"ZPD, this is Officer Clawhauser, how can I be of assistance?"

"Hi, I was saved by an officer at the precinct and I want to come and thank him, any chance you could tell me when Nick Wilde will be in the precinct?" He asked.

"Sure! If you want to stop by his shift is ending at four-o-clock today," The cheetah replied. 

"Oh, great, thank you!"

"No problem. Have a nice day!"

"You too, bye!" He said. He grabbed his keys and left his apartment.  _ I should get him something… _ he thought as he left his building. He stood for a moment before noticing the flower shop across the street. He looked both ways and jaywalked, smiling at the thought of him doing something illegal while getting a gift for a cop.  _ Imagine if he stopped me right now, 'I was on my way to buy you flowers' probably wouldn't cut it,  _ he thought, unable to shake the humorous idea. He walked into the flower shop with a smile fitting for the colorful place, and started browsing.

"Well, what can I help you find?" An otter asked him. He turned to see the small mammal in a green sweater, with a small tag pinned to him that said 'Emmitt.'

"Hi! You know, I was looking for a gift for someone, like a friend, not a partner."

"Oh! Well what kind of friend?"

"Well, he's not really a friend… it's a police officer that saved my life, I wanted to bring him something to say thank you."

"Well that's very nice of you. I know a few on the force, who was it?"

"Uh, Officer Nick Wilde, I think? He's the only fox officer, I know that."

"Oh! Yes, I know Nick, but that's a long story. I think a yellow flower would do well, yellow is more grateful and friendly, and probably a tulip, they represent the deepest of emotions. But only one, a bouquet is more for a special friend than a gift like this," the otter said, already set on what type of flower was needed for this situation.

"Sounds good to me!" The skunk said, following the otter to his tulip section. He took the tallest yellow tulip and cut it at the base, then walking to the counter. He put a small container of water at the bottom of the flower and rang it up at the register. The skunk handed him cash and told him to keep the change.

He felt a little silly, holding a flower, sitting on the subway. He would get a glance or two occasionally, but for the most part mammals seemed not to notice. After a few stops and transfers he found himself climbing up the stairs in front of Precinct One. He walked through the large double doors and went up to the front counter, finding a large cheetah behind the desk.

"Hi! What can I do for you?" Clawhauser asked.

"I'm looking for Nick Wilde, I wanted to give him this and thank him," the skunk said.

"Oh, he should be here any minute, his shift is just ending. You called earlier, right?" 

"Yeah."

"Great. Nick will be thrilled to see you," Ben said. Like clockwork, Nick appeared in hallway, leaving a door and waving to a rabbit. He recognized the skunk almost immediately, even from the distance, even after the months, and he jogged over.

"Are you-!?" He started, cut off by the skunk handing him a flower.

"Thank you."


End file.
